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Saturday, 27 July 2013

A Short Kiss Good Night

"he went up to him ... and kissed him ..."
Mk 14:45

Reading
Mk 14:43 - 15:1

How do we judge this kiss? What did the receiver and the giver of this kiss experience at that moment? These questions have haunted many, however this could be easily voted for a very sensational kiss in history given the volumes of commentaries and arts that had tried to comment as well as freeze the moment of that kiss.

This infamous betrayal story deserves a rereading in and through the apocalyptic context of the gospel of Mark. In which, preceding to the whole passion narrative we encounter the apocalyptic sayings of Jesus in chapter 13. Among these sayings the real 'night' appears in Mk 13:24-26 where Jesus foretells the coming of an apocalyptic total darkness before the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds. This apocalyptic discourse gives us one keyword that is Mk 13: 5, 9, 23, 33, 35, 37 "Watch."This word echoes down to the last moment of Jesus' arrest in the garden (Mk 14:34-38).

A close 'watch' to this event is of paramount necessity because this is Apocalypse which is immediate and which is happening in the here and now. Listen to Jesus in Luke where he says it is "your hour and the power of darkness" (Lk 22:53). The power of darkness is the now, which is the Apocalypse, an end of history. A total end of history which is also a irreversible, which is the end of the present world and beginning of a new, total new history and world.

Biblical history begins with a separation, cursing, nakedness and fleeing in the garden. Now this cursing, separation and fleeing in nakedness everything culminates into total darkness in the garden of Gethsemane. But this apocalypse will bring in to force a new world and beginning. Separation begins with a kiss to the master (Mk 14:45) and shame, nakedness and fleeing shown by a apparition that flees the scene into darkness (Mk 14:51,52). But true apocalypse spirals into abyss of darkness by the final and ultimate cursing of Peter.

Peter 'began to curse and swore an oath' (Mk 14:71) which parallels the beginning of history in Genesis. That history which begins as profane history which will face its apocalypse in the new beginning with a crowing of the cock (Mk 14:72; 15:1) and it was morning. This new morning is the new beginning of the new world. Where in this new beginning Jesus goes into oblivion and Barabbas will be released. This is the hope of Apocalypse which brings a new dawn.